Fort Wayne TinCaps (8-4, 40-40) vs. South Bend Cubs (6-6, 35-44)
RHP Chris Huffman (3-3, 3.05) vs. RHP Zach Hedges (3-5, 4.14)
Tuesday, July 7, 2015 — Four Winds Field (South Bend, Ind.) — First Pitch 7:05 p.m. — Game 81
ABOUT LAST GAME: In one of the wilder games of the season, the TinCaps came from four runs back to beat South Bend, 10-9, in 12 innings. Fort Wayne, which trailed 4-0 after two, 7-6, after five, and 8-7 after seven, broke an 8-8 tie in the 12th. Jose Ruiz executed a suicide-squeeze bunt to plate Luis Urias. Ruddy Giron added an RBI single that proved key as the Cubs rallied for a run in the home 12th. Colby Blueberg earned the win with a scoreless ninth, 10th, and 11th, while T.J. Weir earned the save in the 12th.
COMEBACK KIDS: Monday’s four-run deficit was the largest overcome by the TinCaps this year. (Their previous biggest comeback was three runs — also against the Cubs back on April 16.) Fort Wayne has now won five games this year when trailing after seven innings. Four of those victories have come since May 21. The TinCaps entered that day with a 12-25 record. They’re 28-15 since rallying from a two-run ninth-inning deficit that day at Lake County.
EXTRA GOOD: The TinCaps are now 6-2 in extra-inning games this year and on a five-game winning streak in such games. Fort Wayne is 2-0 in extras v SB.
KIDS CAN PLAY: It wasn’t quite as good as Giron’s 6-for-6 debut at Lake County on May 18, but Urias shined in his TinCaps debut Monday. The 18-year-old from Mexico went 3-for-5 with a double, an RBI, and four runs. Urias (born 6/3/97) has taken the distinction of “youngest player in the league” away from Giron (born 1/4/97), yet Giron didn’t let his teammate overshadow him Monday. Giron had four hits, including a three-run homer, and drove in a career-high five.
PITCHING WINS: The TinCaps are 12-4 over their last 16 games. In that time, they’ve allowed more than three runs in a game only three times. In 149 2/3 innings of work since June 18, Fort Wayne has yielded just 33 earned runs. That equates to a 1.98 ERA.
GETT-ING HOT: Center fielder Michael Gettys is on a season-high six-game hitting streak. He extended it Monday with his fifth double during the stretch. His 22 doubles on the year are tied for third most in the MWL. (Gettys’ teammate Nick Torres leads the league with 27.)
ROSTER MOVE: The Padres called up right-handed pitcher Aaron Cressley to the TinCaps on Tuesday from Short-Season A Tri-City, where he had a 0.00 ERA in 5.0 IP. Fort Wayne’s roster had been at 24 players since last Thursday. Cressley, 22, was with the TinCaps earlier this season from May 1-18.
TONIGHT’S STARTING LINEUP:
1. #1 Michael Gettys CF — Ranks 2nd in MWL with 13 OF assists (1 on Monday).
2. #9 Luis Urias 2B — Francisco Morales says he reminds him of Marco Scutaro.
3. #12 Ruddy Giron SS — Just third game batting third (33 leadoff, 9 second).
4. #16 Trae Santos 1B* — 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs against Hedges.
5. #34 Franmil Reyes RF — Celebrating his 20th birthday today.
6. #22 Franchy Cordero DH* — Hitting .257 against righties (.161 against righties).
7. #25 Luis Tejada 3B — Had three hits — two of which were doubles — Monday.
8. #23 Michael Miller C — Grew up playing with Mets pitcher Noah Syndegard.
9. #15 Edwin Moreno LF* — 3-for-5 with a triple against Hedges.
* Left-Handed Batter
